I have that book….it was just, meh.

Question – how did you discover you were a heel striker? Just by paying attention to your feet hitting the ground, or did you experience pain first?

Caitlin, I can’t recommend Chi running enough! Ok the book is a little dry but the best thing to do would be to go along to a workshop. I am sure there will be a chi running workshop near you somewhere. If you check out their website you can find details. Me and my hubs took a workshop in London with Danny himself and it was brilliant. Neither of us were big runners at the time but there were all kinds of runners there. My husband completed the Edinburgh marathon (his first race ever) in May, all training done in mininal shoes.He had no injuries at all. I am currently training for my first 10k, again in either 5 fingers of Vivo barefoot’s Evo. You just can’t heel strike in mininal shoes. It hurts like hell, so you have to change! A workshop really is the best way though. If you want any more information just email me. I can offer the hubs up for a race recap too? Sure he won’t mind!

I read the book, and wrote a review here:
http://lisasfoods.com/2011/04/25/half-marathon-moves-chi-running-week-5/

While I was into it at first, I noticed I was having the same pains when using his technique.

Since then I’ve been using Jeff Galloway’s run-walk-run plan, and find that by incorporating enough walk breaks, I keep my knee pain and shin splints at bay. Plus, while some people think walk breaks can slow you down, many people have qualified for Boston using Jeff’s approach! Not bad. 🙂

Get some Newtons!

the book really helped me correct my form. i had terrible hip and psoas problems and it helped though i ended up skimming through certain parts. yes use your vibrams more too! i switched to nike frees and i think they helped me too.

I, too, am a heel striker. I just switched from the Asics 2160 to the Brooks Ravenna 2 and noticed that I’m striking more mid-foot with the Brooks shoes – I think it’s because they’re less cushioned than the Asics. I’ve also found that shortening my stride and increasing my turnover had made a huge difference in my foot striking.

I want to work towards running in barefoot shoes, but I’m not quite ready to spend more money on shoes just yet 🙂

I read Chi Running after I tore my cartiledge in my left knee. It is really hard to learn or try to re-adjust how you run again. But overall, a lot of the concepts have stuck with me. I am always thinking about my form because of Chi Running. I recommend!

I am about halfway through Chi Running and LOVING it! I’ve adjusted a few elements of my gait, and it’s working well so far! If you want a funny yet inspiring read, check out Dawn Dais’s The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women. HILARIOUS.

i would love to learn how to take the pace off my garmin, but still see time and distance!

My husband and other friends who are track coaches say we shouldn’t really try and change your gait, causes more injuries. Just focus and try to work on your form. At our age and running “experience” we shouldn’t change gait.

I love fruit on my salad!!! I had pineapple and strawberries on all my salads today and yesterday! Maybe tomorrow I’ll switch to apples 🙂

Wearing your vibrams will certainly help train you! Beware though, running on them without striking with your forefoot could lead to more injury and I don’t recommend it. I’m a competitive track/cross-country runner and I wouldn’t be able to compete at all if I didn’t strike with my forefoot. My team uses video review to help our technique, I suggest getting that fella of yours to video your gait, review it, try again, repeat. That way you know as soon as you do it right! I also do all of my training in minimal runners/racing flats. You’ll know you’re on the right track if your calves kill! (I apologize for the novel) 🙂

Bah! Auto correct! *running lately!

Focussing on landing on the forfoot or switching to minimalist shoes is the worst way to learn to stop heel striking. Heel striking is the result of an incorrect stride. If you forefoot strike but with a bad stride that is arguably even worse than heel striking. You should land with your foot directly under your center of mass and think about pulling your leg up by bringing your heel towards your but. You should focus on avoiding putting your legs out in front of you.

Prior to this I actually had no idea there was a Chi Running book – but I’ve read about it, talked about it with people that have been to clinics, and watched videos and even just that, I feel, has helped me. The shorter strides and “falling” into the run really helped me visualize and then put it into action.

That said, it’s still something I have to think about. If I go off in la-la land in a run I’ll find myself right back to my old ways 😛 (newer runner here) I’d love to try some Vibrams!

Not a fan of changing your gait. I think some people heel strike, some people don’t. Changing it up either way throws your body into re-learning the safest way to run and it’s an invitation for injury.

Hummus and greens make such an awesome combination!

I hope you can figure out a way to run that doesn’t injure you, because that is NO fun!

My local running store has a good form running clinic weekly – I took it last week, so check with your local running stores, they may offer something. Anyhow, I learned I am a MAJOR heel striker. There are 4 things to keep in mind I learned, good posture, land on the midfoot/don’t over stride, lean from the ankles (flexing at the ankle reduces the muscle strain from toeing off) and increase your cadence – the goal should be 180 foot strikes a minute. Since I do almost all of these things wrong, it probably is why I have awful IT problems right now. Since its a lot to keep in mind and remember, they recommended focusing on improving 1-2 things at a time. Cadence was the recommended step, since once you improve that, a lot of other things fall into place as well. Hope this info helps!